I have moved back to 4th after being in 2nd for 4 years. I know nobody has much information about the new Texas STAAR test, but can anybody help me with some expository prompts? I'm just not sure what "they" are referring to. Thanks for the help!

I also need help with this. The expository prompt that TEA released for 4th grade is: "Write about one person who has been important to you. Explain what makes that person special." I am having a hard time understanding how to separate it from the narrative writing, because to me it really seems like a narrative prompt. Any suggestions would be great!

For the expository test, TEA is wanting a central theme with topic sentences relating to that theme and details describing those topic sentence. It makes me think about how we used to write...more formulaic. I see them giving several different prompts relating to either writing a How To, descriptive, or informative, without it being a "story".

I could be way off on this.. but the way I am teaching my kiddos the difference is that expository is going to be explaining/informing the reader of a topic with supporting reasons. The narrative prompt should be addressed like a story... most of the time this will be a personal experience. The expository one will be giving reasons supporting the main idea... ex: if they wanted to say their mom was important to them.. they would give different reasons and explain the reasons supporting why their mom is important to them. If this was a narrative... the student would have to tell all about an experience they had with their mom.( Maybe the prompt would say tell about the best day you had with your favorite person.. then they would choose something they did with that person and tell the story about it..) I hope this makes sense/helps!!

I went to see Victoria Young this fall. She basically outlined the approach for teaching for the Writing STAAR test the way you are doing it. She wants us to avoid a formulaic essay, but have the students write deeper, using more concise words and better grammar skills to get to the point quicker within 26 lines.

She agrees this is very hard for a 4th grader to do (my grade), but she emphasized that this year is an information gathering year.

What I've done is I'm teaching only the personal narrative, the explanation informational, and the persuasive informational. (The persuasive because I noticed many of my students turn their explanations into persuasives almost instinctively.) By going ahead with the persuasives, I noticed many more relunctant writers have an "aha" moment when trying to organize their informational essays into reasons with examples better when proving an idea they support. It gets the flow of having a reason followed by an example in a more natural, meaningful way.

To avoid formulaic writing, I've avoided telling them to sum up thier ideas at the end on the informational and to just head straight out into their dynamo ending.

I also am using the Jeff Anderson approach this year to help with sentence boundaries and basic grammar/punctuation skills. It really seems to be working (imprinting positive grammar structure over identifying incorrect structures.) My students seem much more stronger in that area then usual this year. I was a true believer in DOL's (am I showing my age?), but I have to agree that Jeff Anderson is on to something valid with imprinting.

I would love to listen to Victoria Young. I'm sure she was very helpful and informative.

My experience teaching Expository to 4th graders tells me it is almost impossible for it to NOT sound formulaic. I wish TEA would release some anchor papers so I could see what a 4 Expository piece looks like.

I am interested in Jeff Anderson and I'm wondering which one of his books you are using.

I went to an awesome workshop in Victoria and they showed us a model used by Portland Public Schools. There is a full outline of expository and narrative lessons you can go by daily. You add the "bling" yourself. It's pretty cut and dry and easy to follow. I have been teaching writing for years and was frustrated by the new expository. Go to this link: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments...culum/2075.htm. We are using this model at our school this year.

One person who has been important. My mom. reason 1. She helps me when I need it. For example...<narrative>. 2. She is always there for me. for example...<narrative>.... and so forth. You are on topic. You are explaining reasons why she is your important person, and you are giving narrative examples to help explain.